Following a review by The Check Nigeria, the following highways are considered the deadliest for travel in Nigeria as of January 2026.
5. Lagos–Ibadan Expressway
The Lagos–Ibadan Expressway is the busiest highway in the country. Consequently, the high traffic volume results in a very high frequency of accidents. The safety of travelers on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway is critically compromised by the widespread menace of stationary trucks parked indiscriminately or abandoned on active lanes, where preventable collisions—such as the recent tragedy involving Anthony Joshua—claim lives with alarming frequency. Recall that Anthony Joshua, a British former heavyweight world champion of Nigerian descent, was involved in a ghastly motor accident along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway; unfortunately, his personal trainer, Latif, and strength coach, Sina Ghami, died at the scene.
4. Abuja-Kaduna Highway
The Abuja-Kaduna Highway links the Federal Capital Territory to the North-West. It is notorious for banditry, armed robbery, and kidnapping. The road has several deplorable sections where armed groups emerge from the surrounding forests to attack, rob, and abduct travelers. A lot of accidents have been recorded on this highway as there are several failed portions.
3. Birnin Gwari-Kaduna Highway
Unlike other parts of the Northwest where only bandits and loose criminal gangs operate, the Birnin Gwari axis around Kuduru Forest is a stronghold for Ansaru, an Al-Qaeda-linked terrorist group. This lonely road cuts through deep forests that link Kaduna, Niger, and Zamfara states. It makes it easy for attackers to ambush vehicles and retreat quickly into the dense forests. The road axis is considered a flashpoint for banditry and terrorism, where mining wars and reprisals are waged between bandits and illegal miners.
2. Maiduguri-Damboa Road
Travel on this road is life-threatening. The Maiduguri-Damboa road is extremely dangerous and remains one of the most volatile routes in Northeastern Nigeria. It is frequently targeted by ISWAP and Boko Haram factions using Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and direct ambushes. Travel along this road is restricted to specific days and times, and vehicles must move in a convoy led by the Nigerian Army.
1. Madagali–Gwoza Road
The Madagali–Gwoza road is the most dangerous interstate route in Nigeria. Being the shortest link between Adamawa and Borno States, it runs directly along the fringes of the Mandara Mountains and the Sambisa Forest, which Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists use as hideouts and launchpads for attacks. This “corridor of death” is often said to be laden with landmines, as insurgents plant IEDs to target military convoys and motorists. On the Madagali-Gwoza road, motorists need to wait for hours for the military to clear and rid the motorways of any possible landmines. It requires all travelers to move within a military convoy.
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